Wednesday, 2 March 2016

Transparent Mix Tapes #1 #2 and #3!

I love painting the same thing over and over. I've written about it before. HERE

What I enjoy is seeing the subtle differences between each version of the painting I make. I'm trying to recreate each painting exactly, so any difference fascinates me. Why is it different? How come I couldn't make it exactly the same again? I understand this is a process that probably only interests me - as I've said before it is an EXTREME form of naval gazing. I really enjoy it. I especially like every painting being the same but different, in my eyes it makes each reproduction far more 'honest' then if I had made prints.

I haven't kept count, unfortunately, but by my estimations, I've made approximately three hundred different sized Formed a Band paintings. The original is on Keith Top Of The Pops hallway wall. The newest one is hanging in my front room. I've been perfecting them for years. If you are a regular reader of this blog you probably own one of the ones I made in between Keith's and mine. All of you with a very similar - but not the same - painting, you are part of an exclusive gang.

Last year I made 'pocket money paintings' where I remade some of my favourite motif's over and over again to say goodbye to them and to force myself to start making new paintings (that I could start making over and over again) This time I numbered them, so I can tell you that I made 217 Death To Everything That Is Not Guitar Music paintings, with these plus the originals and a few in other sizes that is about 240 paintings in total. The guitar was really hard to paint and never the same twice. Not even close. So those paintings, despite my best efforts, are individually pretty unique. I don't make that painting anymore, and I plan on never painting another guitar again as long as I live.

At the moment the paintings I am making over and over again are the Transparent Mix Tape paintings. They are about three times the size of last years 'pocket money' paintings (these are 30cm x 15cm) and cost ten pounds more, unless you buy more than one then they are about the same price or actually even less.

I'm a little obsessed with mix tapes, this shows my age a little bit I think as they haven't really existed in this form for about 15 years, or maybe more. I was very much the sort of person who would try and hide messages to people within the songs on the tapes I made, and was always on the look out for the messages people were trying to send me with their choices, either subliminally or on purpose.

I've always seen it that mix tapes are always more than just a collection of tunes, even if the aim really is just showcasing your favourite songs to someone, that is still sending messages in a way. So I've made these transparent mix tapes with the message clearly on the side. No hiding of the message at all.

All three are from Art Brut songs.

My Little Brother

Sound of The Summer

and I want to be Double A-Sided.

I'll be making them for a month, they are all numbered and signed and available from HERE

If you like your paintings a little more unique I have these two Hennessy/Alcoholic Unanimous paintings that I wont be recreating.